DNF at 28%. Clearly, most dystopians aren’t for me. But I just felt thrown into this environment with little context, and the stakes feel nonexistent.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

I am a huge fan of Gabe Cole Novoa so of course this was going to be amazing. The way this author writes is just always a hit for me. This book is no exception. I love competition books and when they lean on the fantasy side they are even better. Gabe does an excellent job building story and characters who you want to love. Can’t wait to read more from this author as usual

A very timely story that takes a corrupt hierarchy where the poorest are the most persecuted and infuses it with magic. A trans man named Crow lives in the Shallows, far from the luxuries of the upper classes and fighting in underground contests to make money, until he gets the opportunity to be in the gladiatorial style tournament that is held for entertainment. Crow also hides his heritage as a descendant of the god of Death because in this society, he is considered "illegal".

Crow wants nothing to do with the tournament, until people he loves are taken for protecting other descendants of Death, and knowing the winner gets a boon from the gods themselves, he agrees to compete.

I love Gabe Cole Novoa's writing - and this is no exception. Crow is a wonderful lead character, and his found family are equally compelling. The pacing of the story is on point, there isn't a lagging middle, and I was always looking to see if I had just ten more minutes to read a few more pages. The ending - which I hope is not the ending, as I would love to see more of Crow and Co. was deserved, especially for one bad, bad person.

There may be many Hunger Games-style books out there, but very few are truly remarkable, and Those Vengeful Gods sits atop the remarkable group.

Thank you Random House Children’s and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This book was incredible! If you need something to read to fill the Hunger Games void, I highly recommend picking this one up.

It’s a fantasy dystopia, with Gods and wealth inequality and a series of trials that often result in death until a winner is crowned.

The trials were exciting but I’ll admit I would have liked a bit more from them. This book could have easily been a lot longer with some more details on each round.

Crow is such a brilliant main character. Their journey over the course of this book was exciting to watch unfold. I really admired how much he just wanted to help their people.

I loooooved their polycule with Chaos, Maddox and Lark. The love these characters all developed for each other was wonderful. It was so sweet the way they lent their strength to Crow when he needed it.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!
I love how the good guys are scrappy, antifascist underdogs.
I love how Crow stands on business and refuses to tolerate injustice, even at personal sacrifice. Lark too.
I love how the evils parallel modern social issues like classism, police brutality, people not masking, & state violence targeting whole communities.
I love Chaos’ journey as a relatively privileged person learning how to use his power for social justice, and his openness to apologizing when he gets it wrong. I also love how he knits and turns Crow into a fashun babey.
I love how Crow is so loved by their family and then learns to find love and safety in his found family. And I love the cuddles, they deserve them all!
I love how much Crow and Chaos both care about his kitty, Mouse!!!! She is my favorite character.

These Vengeful Gods had all the ingredients to be epic—gods, death magic, a deadly tournament—but for me, it just didn’t land. I was hoping for intense trials and high stakes, but nothing really felt urgent or earned. I barely knew the uncles we were supposed to care about, and the relationships between characters kind of just... appeared out of nowhere. Honestly, I don’t even remember much of what happened, which probably says a lot. It wasn’t bad, just not memorable for me.

The way I'm obsessed with this book.

I don't even know where to begin. The best way to describe this book is Hunger Games mixed with Percy Jackson, but the main character is Nico di Angelo and the book is EXTREMELY queer. It's everything I could ever want in a dystopian fantasy book.

Despite loving the storyline, I felt a bit conflicted about the relationships that were developing in the story. It's not like I wasn't a fan, because as soon as their friendship relationship situationship evolved, oh boy, I was ecstatic. It was honestly the best outcome I could've seen coming, it was either that or nobody should've been dating each other.

Needless to say, this is such a fun story and I can't wait for people to read it this month.

The last time I read a book by Gabe Cole Novoa, I gave it 5 stars. My only regret in reading "These Vengeful Gods" is that I can't give it the 10 stars it deserves! This was truly one of the most incredible works of fiction I've read in some time, and for anyone who's a huge "Hunger Games" nerd like me, you're going to love every single second of this book. To be able to read about a trans kid, fighting for the little guy while saving himself along the way was just chef's kiss.

This book follows Crow, an underground fighter with access to the illegal Deathmagic that he's forced to hide to stay safe. Every other year in Escal, there is a Tournament of Gods in which people from Escal compete to win an audience with the Gods. When a minor god approaches Crow about sponsoring him to fight in the tournament, Crow declines. After all, there's never been someone from the Shallows who's even made it past the opening game. But when circumstances change, and Crow finds himself needing to protect his family, he joins the Tournament of Gods in order to win an audience with said gods.

If you liked the "Hunger Games" or "The Sunbearer Trials" you're going to absolutely adore Novoa's newest novel. I look forward to seeing what else they come up with in the future.

For me, this was The Hunger Games if it were a fantasy. And lots of representation. Timewise, the period of time does match the Hunger Games a lot. However, this story was not focused on the Tournament of the Gods itself, but rather an exploration of Crow's character as they learn about how to fight back against the gods that rule.All the characters in this story were quite loveable (or hateable) and so it was easy to follow. The naming convention is also quite blunt, and so it really isn't too hard to follow the wealth of characters that show up. The interactions between the characters I suppose are sometimes a bit more juvenile, although sometimes more adult too—really a decent mix, which makes sense for this kind of YA book. Ultimately it is a kind of coming-of-age story in which Crow has to learn about their past and forge a future for himself.

A lot of diversity and representation issues are addressed in this story and I thought it was fairly well touched upon without being overly preachy or taking you out of the story. Rather, it is a natural part of the story that we learn about, so it didn't feel like pure social commentary. That being said, it is of course a fairly large portion of the story, so be aware of that.

I really enjoyed the magic element of this story. The gods and their powers were pretty simple, but it made sense in a way that didn't make me question it much, which made the story flow well and not need a lot of time to explain. The story was incredibly fast paced and it was definitely a page turner. The world building was pretty quick but I think it was just easy to understand and imagine because it is a typical dystopian story.

In terms of predictability it was nothing very surprising, but that being said there were still satisfying moments, and I felt pretty happy with the way things played out in general and the progression of the story. It was a quick read yet had its emotional moments, and it felt like there was a full story without random loopholes, which is surprising for what felt like a very quick story.

Overall this was an enjoyable read, and while it had its sad moments, I think overall it was a good story of self-discovery, and highlights the themes of fairness and class differences that are so relevant still today. It does read very much like a YA, but I think appropriately so.

_Thank you to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review._

Another great novel from Gabe Cole Novoa! These Vengeful Gods had the complex worldbuilding, lovable complex characters, and diverse representation that I’ve come to adore in Novoa’s writing. This book delved into a deeper angst at social injustices that closely mirror our own world, and also painted a picture of joy and resilience in community.

The story follows Crow (he/they) as they make the decision to enter into a gladiator-style tournament held for a pantheon of major and minor gods. Like all good pantheons, these gods have a long history of internal feuds and ego-driven interests, with little concern for the well-being of the mortals they rule over. Crow, an underground fighter from the most oppressed sector in this world, has his own hidden motivations for entering the tournament.

I particularly loved the representation of chronic illness and disability justice in this novel. It captured the disparity between people who cannot afford to ignore issues like clean air and drinking water, versus the more privileged classes who have abandoned any sense of shared humanity. The queer, polycule, racially diverse group of our main characters was also such a warm, positive vibe in the story. And Mouse is the best Mouse that has ever Moused!

I really enjoyed this as a young adult novel, it had that element that I was looking for from the description. I enjoyed the idea of the character being a descendant of a god of Death. It had that fantasy element that I was looking for and worked in the world that was going on. I thought the characters were everything that I wanted and enjoyed the journey in this book. Gabe Cole Novoa has a strong writing style and enjoyed getting into this journey.

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a chance at reading this.

I made it 50% into the book before throwing in the towel. For a YA established author - and a popular one? - this wrote like a first draft. The story felt clumsy and juvenile in prose and context. I was intrigued at first with the character being a fighter and using their powers in a world where it was a no-no to use them, I understood that. Then, the author didn't really set up the world and give more into why things were the way they were.

Also, we're expected to care about these uncles that were kidnapped but we hardly spent any time with them.

The main character was the only aspect I liked, but even still, I couldn't follow them in a world that I felt was half-baked.

Thank you to the publisher and NG for the free arc copy. All opinions are my own.

I am obsessed. This was such a good book and I'm very sad that I have to wait for the sequel now!

Crow is such a great character, I absolutely adore them. I love how he uses his Death magic to alter his appearance, take care of his autoimmune disorder and heal himself. All crazy things. His magic is so cool.

Maddox, Lark, and Chaos are great side characters as well, and I wish they get their own POVs in the next book, being in their heads would be so cool.

Honestly, I don't have any faults or negatives to say to this book. It is truly 10/10 and may be a top fave of 2025.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Let's just say, I can't wait for this to be available for everyone to read. This was genuinely amazing. I was beyond impressed. A lot of times, stories like this can be cringey, but this was beautiful. Which really speaks for the high quality of the writing. The story was entrancing and adorable and cool and awesome and funny and I loved it.

I also loved the characters an unbelievable amount. They were all quirky, but not in the cringey way. They were unique. They had dimension, and they had their own stories and conflicts. The romances were also amazing. I loved that the four of them decided that they didn't need to put a label on anything. They could just care for each other in the way they cared for each other. I'd love to see more relationships like that in fiction.

The world was so creative and unique. I never would have thought of something like this, and the author made it work very well. The world also called out issues we have even in the real world, like the wealth gap and poverty.

The story was pretty Hunger Games, I'll admit. Are Hunger Games-styled books overdone? Yes. But this one added so much of it's own flair and creativity that I wasn't thinking much about the Hunger Games while reading this.

A stunning book with stunning writing and stunning characters and a stunning world.

Wow....just, wow!!! My first ARC and it couldn't have been a better book!!! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's!!!

A YA dystopian fantasy novel, THESE VENGEFUL GODS is perfect for lovers of The Hunger Games, Greek mythology, deadly trials, and bad-ass main characters!

Crow (they/he) is a Deathchild, descendant of Death himself and, unfortunately, that is illegal. Being able to wield deathmagic only further complicates things. When approached by Chaos, a minor god of Discord, with the opportunity to compete in the Tournament of Gods, Crow initially declines. Until tragedy strikes.

And that's just the intro! Crow, Chaos, Lark, and Maddox embark on a journey that kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next round of the tournament or the next round of banter.

This was an incredibly fast-paced novel, which means there were many places I wish the author would have delved in more, but there just wasn't time! I wanted to know more about the gods and their children, more of Crow & Cara, more of Crow themself!

I would not have been mad at another 100 pages of Novoa's writing, but this book works beautifully as a stand alone. The immediate plot lines are tied with a bow and we are given a glimpse into our main characters next steps. But of course, Novoa also left enough room for a sequel, if we are lucky.

Novoa's approach to representation is bold, but easy. He includes representation for people with disabilities, gender non-conforming people, and queerness the way I wish was more common in real life and doesn't feel reductive. His characters vary in their appearances, races, and genders in a delightfully dizzying way that makes me crave fan art!

Novoa's writing is as fantastic as always, with gorgeous visuals that make it easy for readers to visualize. The fight scenes were surprisingly concise and quick, and left me wanting just a little more. A glimpse into the fights between other competitor would have been nice, but it was not necessary by any means.

This book is exactly what we need in 2025. Filled with political conflict, righteous outrage, and so. much. queerness. What isn't to love???

it’s been two minutes since i finished reading this ARC. god-fucking-dammit, i loved it so much. GCN just keeps eating with these books, and i’m getting well fed!!!
the only things i knew about this book about going in were from the trope map that was posted along with the NetGalley applications going live. and it was enough for me to run to the site and wait to get approved.

the representation in this? gods, i’d be lying if i said i didn’t cry at times because it was so beautiful AND REAL. and it’s also not the first time that’s happened to me while reading one of novoa’s books. if you know me, you know i’ve read and recommended all of his works endlessly—as i should, btw—and i keep going on and on about how seen i feel every time i read them. as a latine, disabled and queer non-binary person, this hits me exactly where it has to. i laughed, cried and felt the need to rebel along with these characters, in times where we so desperately need it.

these vengeful gods was written beautifully. the connection with the characters, the world-building and every little detail included here helped create a cohesive story, and met every single one of my expectations—and more, i had faith in it, but somehow, it turned out to be better than what i could’ve ever imagined.
one of my favorite reads this year. i encourage you—YES YOU—to grab a copy (buy it, request it at your local library!) when it comes out and delight yourself with this brave, wholesome latine story.

These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa reminded me of a mix of the Hunger Games books and the tv show Arcane in the best way! I’ve read other books by this author that I really enjoyed but this might be my favorite one yet!

In this book, we follow Crow, a trans teenager living with his uncles in the Shallows, the lowest and most neglected part of the city. Crow is a descendent of the god of death, and has survived a genocide that wiped out most of the other descendants of death. Because of his godly heritage, Crow has some supernatural abilities and uses those abilities as an underground street fighter to earn money. When Crow’s uncles are arrested for helping Deathchildren refugees escape the city, Crow vows to save them by entering a championship known as the Tournament of the Gods, where the winner is granted a boon from the gods.

This book has so many elements that I absolutely loved. The world building is so good- I felt like I was in the city with them as they travelled around it. It definitely gives Arcane-esque vibes with the Shallows being similar to the Undercity and the upper city levels similar to Piltover. While this comparison can be made to really any place (fictional or otherwise) where there are vast disparities in wealth between two areas, I kept picturing Arcane in my head as I was reading (which was excellent because I love Arcane!)

The characters are what really drew me to this book though. Crow is very lovable and goes through so much, but is still so resilient. He also has an incredible (and all queer!) found family, made up of equally lovable characters. They seem very real and each one was unique. I liked getting to know each and every one of them, but I particularly liked Crow’s sponsor. The tournament tasks were the least interesting part of this book, but obviously they were very important to moving the story along! However I could have read just a whole story about the Crow crew hanging out together and been just as happy!

Overall I throughly recommend picking up These Vengeful Gods if you’re looking for a fantastic read!

I feel like this is a new age version of a hunger games style book. This was a super quick read for me. I found it to be a very inclusive, YA book focusing on competition in an extremely oppressive and abusive dystopian society. I truly felt that if I were a younger adult reading this today there would be a character for everyone to relate to, no one would feel under represented. Regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, those under political repression, even those with familial abandonment or troubles, every person can relate to someone in this book. Crow, Chaos, Lark, the tournament….between the plot and characters and their connections and friendly banter, this book kept you wanting to read on. This was definitely an enjoyable read.

Gabe Cole Novoa has been one of my instant buy authors since The Wicked Bargain and These Vengeful Gods doesn’t disappoint. I was immediately hooked into Crow’s story and the systemic class disparities that are so well shown, even in a world of gods. It gave me the same anger and frustration for the characters of this world that I feel for people around the world in 2025.

I loved all the characters and their relationships, especially between Crow, Lark, Chaos, and Maddox. We got great interactions between all of them, and I even wish there was more at some points. And even though I loved the romantic relationships, I also loved the callout of a queer platonic relationship to show that not all close relationships need to be romantic. The plot was also well paced, even the action scenes, which I sometimes can struggle to follow. Everything felt like it came together well for a standalone, but I can see room for a possible sequel, and I would immediately pick it up to journey with these characters again.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

These Vengeful Gods is the perfect book for 2025. With the resurgence of The Hunger Games and the anticipation surrounding Gladiator II, this novel is poised to captivate a wide audience. The characters are not only compelling but layered, each with their own unique motivations and flaws. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly evolving unexpectedly, ensuring you’ll never feel bored. Crow, in particular, is a hero you’ll root for from start to finish—flawed yet determined, making his journey all the more engaging. This book is a thrilling mix of action, intrigue, and emotional depth, making it a must-read for fans of epic storytelling.